US leads coordinated response to Ebola outbreak in Central Africa

The United States Department of State says it is coordinating a comprehensive interagency response to an Ebola outbreak affecting the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, as Washington moves to contain the spread and limit risks to American citizens.

Officials said within 24 hours of confirmation of cases on 15 May 2026, the department established an interagency coordination cell and incident management system in Washington, DC, drawing in multiple US agencies and overseas missions, Caliber.Az reports, citing the agency.

US embassies in the DRC, Rwanda, South Sudan and Uganda have set up monitoring teams to track developments and communicate with American citizens in affected regions, while senior officials are holding daily coordination meetings.

The State Department made it clear that its primary focus is safeguarding Americans abroad and protecting the US homeland, including through updated travel advisories and public guidance based on conditions on the ground.

Working alongside the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the department also supported the issuance of an 18 May 2026 directive restricting entry to the United States for foreign nationals who have recently been in the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan.

Within 48 hours of activating its response framework, the department stated that it had mobilised $13 million in initial foreign assistance to support outbreak control efforts, including surveillance, laboratory capacity, risk communication, safe burial practices, screening measures and clinical care.

Washington noted that additional funding is being prepared as the scale of the outbreak becomes clearer, describing international cooperation as central to containment efforts.

According to the department, its actions are designed to ensure rapid containment of the outbreak while supporting affected communities and maintaining global health security.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov